SALEM Big Lots considers moving into former Ames location

The store would employ 20 to 40 people in full- and part-time jobs.
SALEM -- A Columbus-based discount chain wants to move into the former Ames store on East State Street sometime later this year or early in 2004.
Big Lots is trying to finalize lease arrangements for the Salem location, company spokeswoman Pat Ziegler said Friday.
"It's still sort of iffy," Ziegler added.
Ames closed its Salem store, located in the city's east-side commercial district, last summer. It was one of hundreds the company shuttered after declaring bankruptcy.
Big Lots finds the location attractive because it's in a busy commercial area, Ziegler said.
The vacant store also fits in with Big Lots' strategy of placing its stores in older commercial structures instead of building new stores just for Big Lots, Ziegler added.
If Big Lots comes here, it would employ 20 to 40 people, about half of whom would be full-time employees.
Ziegler said she did not know how much Big Lots would pay and did not respond to a request to seek that information.
Company profile
Big Lots is a Fortune 500 company with annual revenues exceeding $3.8 billion, the company says.
It operates nearly 1,400 stores in 45 states.
The stores range in size from 20,000 to 60,000 square feet, with annual per-store sales averaging $2.85 million.
The company specializes in offering "close-out" merchandise -- the same brand-name products found at other retailers, but generally at a lower price.
Big Lots acquires close-out merchandise from manufacturers who want to reduce inventory because of package changes, canceled orders or product discontinuation.
leigh@vindy.com